The Dawn of RockClan

The Dawn of RockClan
Author: Littlewillow
Status: Writing
Series: Rockclan Series
Allegiances: RockClan Allegiances
Preceding: None
Succeeding: Leaf-Bare for RockClan
Spellcheckers: Leopardclawxx
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Chapter one: Little One

Littlepaw felt her back burn with embarrassment. She had found the juiciest, slowest vole in the forest and she hadn't even caught it.

"Ha, just goes to show what a terrible hunter you are!" Mudpaw snickered. Littlepaw whipped around and hissed,

"Shut up, Mud-head." Mudpaw was her brother though it seemed like he was not even mildly part of her kin. Littlepaw then turned to her mentor Cloverflame as he began to speak.

"Some days you can be distracted." Mudpaw snorted but Littlepaw felt grateful.

"Mud-head!" she hissed as they padded on.

"Little-brain!"

"Snake-mouth."

"Really?" Mudpaw seemed surprised. Littlepaw didn't answer and padded on.

The whole morning went by and Mudpaw caught two voles and her sister, Bouncepaw caught one rabbit and two mice. Her mentor, Cloverflame had caught five rabbits. Littlepaw trembled, she had caught nothing.

“We still have the aftersunhigh, I'm sure you will catch something,” Cloverflame soothed. Littlepaw looked away.

“We should split up!” Bouncepaw exclaimed, over hearing the conversation. Cloverflame nodded and the patrol spread out. Littlepaw chose the path to the Rock-Ridge. The rock-ridge was a place right at the edge of Windclan territory. It was right near Thunderclan territory.

Littlepaw could hear a mouse scuffling among the little pebbles. She immediately dropped into a hunting crouch. Slowly she inched forward, spotting the mouse. It is about as big as a kit paw! This would barely be a meal, she realized. Before she could stop she was already pouncing on the little mouse.

"And the mighty hunter returns!" Mudpaw tanted. Littlepaw avoided him and quickly went to sit beside her mother, Barkclaw.

"Hm, is hunting not well today?" she asked, Littlepaw nodded. Her mother touched her tail to Littlepaw's shoulder.

"You need to hunt harder, if you want to survive," her mother meowed harshly, before devoring her thrush. Littlepaw felt so lonely. She wished she had a mother that would care for her, not give her harsh advice.

Chapter two: Hope

Littlepaw settled down in her nest, goose feathers prickling her flank.

Bouncepaw and Mudpaw were already fast asleep. Littlepaw had had to stay up to go on another patrol.

She didn't feel like sleeping though.

Littlepaw quickly padded out of camp. She felt that a walk would do her well.

She raced past the tall grass and down to the tree line. WindClan had a little bit of trees on there border with ThunderClan.

A screech came from the near silent forest.

Littlepaw hurtled over to the spot where she had heard the screech. A grey tom, the size of her was limping, fear making his eyes look like small moons.

"It's coming back, you better go!" he screeched, looking around. Litlepaw approached the wounded tom.

"I don't regularly leave cats to die, you know," she meowed and helped the tom onto a tree stump. He seemed okay with Littlepaw helping him.

"So, what happened?" she asked after a moment. The tom didn't reply at first.

"I-I thought I could beat a fox so I could get my warrior name..." he muttered. Littlepaw sat down and instantly the grey tom got up.

"Your not ThunderClan! Get off of my territory now!" he meowed, his claws showing. Littlepaw rolled her eyes.

"I just saved-" She broke off as a snarl came from a bush.

Littlepaw immediately unsheded her claws. A dark shape loomed through the forest. Littlepaw heard the grey apprentice gasp as Littlepaw charged.

She didn't know how she did it but soon she had pinned down the thrashing fox. With he help of the grey tom, he and Littlepaw scared the fox off of ThunderClan territory.

"Thanks," he breathed as she helped him back onto the stump. Littlepaw nodded, out of breathe.

"Greypaw, why are you with this she-cat?" Littlepaw whipped around to see a motled grey she-cat. Her eyes were narrowed slits.

"It's not what you think! She helped me chase off the fox," Greypaw mumbled. The she-cat still was glaring.

"I won't tell the clans about this if that WindClan cat goes now!" As the she-cat stepped forward, Littlepaw saw the resemblance in Greypaw and the she-cat. The she-cat was probably Greypaw's mother.

Littlepaw waved her tail and in moments she was off of ThunderClan territory. Littlepaw, then, noticed blood trickling down her forepaw. Littlepaw winced as it started to sting. She would probably have to sneak into the Medicine Cat den to get herbs without Snowfeather knowing.

Littlepaw spotted the tall yellowish green grass of camp. The Medicine Cat den was at the far corner so Littlepaw could just sneak in the back. Thankfully, she knew which herbs she would need.

She pushed throught the tall dense grass that lined the Medicine Cat den. She closed her eyes as grass whiped her face. Littlepaw blinked open her eyes when she thought she had reached the other side.

It was totally dark and all Littlepaw saw was amber eyes. She jumped back immedianly.

"You? I thought it was a fox or something," A voice, Littlepaw reconzed as Bouncepaw, meowed sharply.

Bouncepaw continued, "You can just use the entrance of the camp, you know. Why did you-" She broke off as Littlepaw held up her paw.

"We better tell-" Littlepaw shook her head.

"I don't want anyone to know," Littlepaw whispered. Bouncepaw rolled her eyes and went into Snowfeather's tunnel that held all her herbs.

Soon, Bouncepaw returned with sweet smelling marigold and dock in her mouth. Bouncepaw pawed at a few leaves and began chewing them into a pulp before pasting them on Littlepaw's scratches. Bouncepaw was much nicer that Mudpaw could ever be.

Littlepaw murmured her thanks and both sisters padded back to the aprentice's den, without another word.

Chapter Three: Bloody Battle

Littlepaw gulped fresh air, before being pulled back under the dark gloomy water. She clawed at the cats legs, until he finally let go. RiverClan had attacked her Clan! She thrashed around in the water. WindClan cats were not meant for this cold dark river. She soon felt smooth sand on her paws and raced to land, where she could fight better.

A tortoiseshell apprentice leaped at her. She quickly dodged and flattened the apprentice like a leaf. The she-cat let out a squeal. "Stop!" She begged. Littlepaw stepped off of the apprentice and growled. The she-cat raced away, though Littlepaw could have easily caught up to her.

She heard Bouncepaw yowl and she raced over to help her. Littlepaw slashed at the huge tom's muzzle, before taking advantage of her small size. She ducked and sneaked under him and attacked the tom from behind.

Littlepaw suddenly heard a bone crunching crack and saw her sister lying on the ground.

Her eyes were glazed with death and her neck snapped in an odd position. Blood flowed from her mouth and neck. It was like a river coming to engulf Littlepaw. She couldn't stand the sight any longer and raced away from the battle. She wanted to get away, from this place, somewhere peaceful, not here....

Somewhere in this mess of grief Littlepaw managed to fall asleep under a huge oak. Still, Littlepaw's dreams were clouded by blood and death.

A hush voice woke her. "Get up!"

Littlepaw looked up, expecting the cat to be Bouncepaw who was always speaking softly. It was the same tortioseshell apprentice that Littlepaw let escape.

Littlepaw reminded herself that Bouncepaw was dead.

"C'mon, I want to show you something!" she meowed more urgently. Littlepaw hoisted herself up and shook the dust from her pelt.

"What do you want?" she hissed.The apprentice looked suprise.

"Well I thought in since you saved me, we were friends." Littlepaw snorted. The apprentice still looked eager. "Just see this, then you can go back!" she meowed before dashing up the steep sandy rocks of Rock-Ridge.

Littlepaw rolled her eyes and thought that nothing could be wrong with seeing what this apprentice had found.

Chapter four: The Sandy Hollow

"Here it is!" the apprentice continued. "I found it when I was hunting." Her pale green eyes flashed with pride. Littlepaw slowly padded forward.The dense pine trees gave away to a huge stone hollow. The walls were steep and moss-covered. Water trickled down in to a little pool in the far end of the hollow and grass grew in clumps on the sandy ground. Littlepaw looked back. Where she had came from was now just a little crack in the stone walls.

"It's very secure and peaceful." Littlepaw commented. Littlepaw turned to the apprentice who was examaining the pool. "What's your name?" The apprentice looked up. "I was wondering when you were going to ask, I'm Meadowpaw." She replied before dipping her paw in the pool.

"Cold!" she exclaimed as she drew her paw from the pool. Littlepaw scurried over to Meadowpaw. Meadowpaw reminded Littlepaw of her dead sister, Bouncepaw.

"Hey, you never told me your name!" Meadowpaw exclaimed. Littlepaw raced up the ridge on the hollow wall, her claws scratching the hard bare stone.

"Oh, sorry. I'm Littlepaw." Littlepaw murmured staring into the horizon. "You can see so much from up here," she added, feeling the late morning sun's rays hit her face. Meadowpaw quickly dashed up the hollow wall.

"There is a nice little path way here." Meadowpaw commented as she scrambled up the steep slope.

Suddenly Meadowpaw froze as she peered through the tree line.

"Cats!" she hissed her face drawn back in a little snarl. Littlepaw hurried down and ran to the bushes. 

"It should be around here! Mother told us so!" came a shrill meow, then in reply can another meow. "Mother isn't here now, Bird! Come on I'm sure we will be able to find a place to sleep."

Meadowpaw was already dashing forward after the converstation finished.

"Stop!" Littlepaw hissed but Meadowpaw shook her head.

"They need help, furball!" she replied briskly and bounded towards the tree line. Littlepaw rolled her eyes. She thought Meadowpaw was a decent cat but was too willing. Maybe that's a quality I should learn from her. It makes her more....Friendly. Littlepaw thought as she watched Meadowpaw disapear.

Littlepaw heard Meadowpaw speak to the cats. By the sounds of it, it seemed they wouldn't hurt her.

Soon Meadowpaw returned followed by two weather beaten, half-starved loners. They seemed grateful that she had helped them.

"This is Bird-" Meadowpaw introducted a grey and white she-cat with pale blue eyes. "-and this is Raven." She pointed the tip of her tail in the direction of a black tom with a white muzzle and tail.

"I see," Littlepaw meowed not sure what to make out of it. "Come, into our hollow, it is sheltered from the wind," she added. Meadowpaw padded up to her.

"So, we are going to let these cats stay in our place?" she asked quietly. Littlepaw scowled and replied it in Meadowpaw's ear,

"This is what you wanted!"

Bird and Raven seemed content when Littlepaw and Meadowpaw showed them a cozy little den under a bramble bush, that the two apprentices had found by luck.

"Lemme just clear this out, but it'll be as good as new in no time!" Meadowpaw meowed cheerfully. Still Littlepaw had not heard either one of the loners speak, even to each other. They would only glance at each other once and a while.

Bird helped Meadowpaw, pull out the wet soggy leafs and dead twigs from underneather the bramble bush. Littlepaw decided it was best to find a little moss or atleast some soft leaves to make Bird and Raven's stay more comfortable.

"Could I hunt?" A voice suprised her. Littlepaw whipped around. It was Raven.

"Oh-oh sure. Do what you want, just come back. It's nice to have company."

Littlepaw's voice suprised her as well.

Chapter five: Home Coming

"You asked them to stay?!" Meadowpaw exclaimed.

Littlepaw nodded. "And I told them that we are a Clan," she muttered, feeling foolish.

Meadowpaw skipped around the trees. "Now we can't go back to the Clans, you know. We neeed to take care of them!"

Littlepaw sat down. That meant she would never get to see her family or friends again. Like I have any friends! Littlepaw wanted to make sure her mother was okay, after Bouncepaw's death she was sure Barkclaw would be shaken.

"We tell them we need to see to problems and spend our evening ad night with the clan. I'm sure they can survive a night!" Littlepaw meowed. Meadowpaw turned. "I guess I would like to go back..." she trailed off.

"Can we come in?" Littlepaw called out. A muffled reply came and Littlepaw pushed through the brambles.

"We, um, need to go for the night. You can manage the night, right?" she asked. Grey nodded and Raven looked up.

"We ain't helpless kits!"

Littlepaw gave Meadowpaw a nod and both she-cats ran back to there homes.

Littlepaw passed the battle ground. Blood scent still hung in the air like a heavy fog. The ground was still wet with scarlet droplets of blood. Littlepaw washed her paws in the stream, hoping she wouldn't have to carry the blood back to camp. As she padded away she tripped over a clump of fur. It was Bouncepaw's by the scent of it.

The image of Bouncepaw's crippled body appeared in her mind and she was lost in a storm of happy memories with Bouncepaw.

A yowl interupted her. "Littlepaw? Oh, StarClan, it's Littlepaw!"

Littlepaw looked up and saw Cloverflame, Silverstem and Barkclaw across the field. Littlepaw hurted full speed towards them. Barkclaw wrapped her thin golden tail around Littlepaw.

"Oh, I thought you died too. I-I thought-" Barkclaw broke off and closed her eyes. Waves of grief rocked Littlepaw and Littlepaw was happy she had came back. She couldn't imagine her mother living without ever knowing what happened to one of her daughters.

The patrol padded down the ground that dipped into a clearing. Barkclaw hung close to Littlepaw. Cloverflame flicked Littlepaw's ear.

"Where were you?" he asked. Littlepaw thought a moment.

"I-I got scared," she answered slowly. At least she was not lying.

As she entered the high grass of the camp she heard hush murmurs and little wails. As the grass parted Littlepaw gasped. Lying in the clearing were three bodies one of Bouncepaw and the others of full grown warriors, covered in blood.

"I guess you don't know that we didn't just lose Bouncepaw, we lost Smokefoot and Dustymoon," Sliverstem murmured gazing thoughtfully at Littlepaw with her pale green eyes.

Littlepaw padded slowly up to the two bodies one tortioshell the other black.

"They died fighting RiverClan and were killed in cold blood. We must take action!" Stonestar was meowing. Many started muttering vows to kill RiverClan.

Instantly Littlepaw thought of Meadowpaw.

Chapter six: Another Battle

"We shall attack now!" Gingerwater yowled. She was Dustymoon's sister. Many meowed in agreement including Barkclaw.

Doesn't she not want another one of her kits to die? Or does she want revenge? Littlepaw wondered.

Mudpaw bound up to Littlepaw.

"Hey, you're back!" Mudpaw didn't look pleased but he didn't look anger either. Littlepaw shrugged and looked back up at Stonestar as he began to speak.

"So we wish to attack now?" he asked, many yowls followed. Stonestar smiled. His thin smile made Littlepaw shiver, It was as if he wanted this battle. As if he wanted to shed blood...

Litttlepaw was picked to go onto the attacking patrol. She positioned herself right in a prickle bush. Her eyes grew wide as she saw ThunderClan and ShadowClan already fighting. A RiverClan battle yowl made her blood turn cold.

All clans are going into a battle. This isn't a battle, it's war...​

Littlepaw could hear her heart beating. It meant she would be alive for one more second. She closed her eyes. Blood was all she could smell. All that she could taste. All that she could feel on her paws. At least she couldn't see it, not until she opened her eyes.

A horse call made her open her eyes. The scene made her blink.

Pools of blood littered the ground. Fur was every where and a few bodies lay in the soft meadow.

"Hey, cat," A cry made her look to her side. There was the grey tom. He had a huge gash down his flank but looked okay.

"My Clan, they left. So did the rest. They don't even care that there are some still out her alive," He meowed staggering to the ground. Littlepaw rushed to him. She helped him up, just as she had done a few nights ago.

"You don't remember what happened, do you?" Greypaw asked. Littlepaw shook her head, grasping memories.

"I-I remember seeing all the clans there. Then Snakescar gave the signal and we all rushed in. Th-then I black out, I think," Littlepaw murmured half to herself.

Greypaw nodded, half listening as he gazed out on the battle field. Littlepaw pressed some soft green grass on his wound, a sucsessful attempt to stop his bleeding.

"There are more not as lucky as me to be walking. Help them, I'll find some dock," Greypaw meowed touching Littlepaw's ear slightly to get her attention. Littlepaw didn't argue and went to the first lump of fur she saw.

It turned out to be a ShadowClan warrior who was cussing quietly to himself about StarClan wanting to destroy the clans. Littlepaw licked his mattered fur to reveal a deep gash down his belly fur.

"Shh!" Littlepaw hissed as he began cussing again. He probably didn't have a clue what was happening to him.

Soon all the cats that were alive were resting under Littlepaw's watch. There was Silverstem and Lakepelt from RiverClan, Greypaw's mother from ThunderClan and the badly injured ShadowClan deputy. Littlepaw wondered where Meadowpaw was. She hadn't seen any tortioshell fur on the battle field.

"You're looking for something," Greypaw observed. Littlepaw didn't answer at first.

"I have another friend in another clan, Meadowpaw." Greypaw's expression was unreadable.

A coking sound came from the group of huddling cats. Littlepaw raced over and pawed at Greypaw's mother.

"Greypaw, she's got something in her throat!" Littlepaw meowed. Littlepaw wedged the mottled grey she-cat's jaws open. Stuck in her throat was a clog of messy herbs. Littlepaw, with her tiny paws, reached in a pulled the gooey mess out of the she-cat's throat. Slowly the she-cat's breathing went back to normal.

"Thanks for helping Runningbreeze, I don't have such small paws," Greypaw murmured his eyes staring admirlingly at Littlepaw. Littlepaw guessed Runningbreeze was Greypaw's mother's name. When Greypaw kept on staring Littlepaw padded away.

A voice made Littlepaw jump and whip around.

"Littlepaw?"

Chapter seven: A New Life

Littlepaw regconized the voice as Meadowpaw's.

"Meadowpaw, where are you?" Littlepaw called out.

"Here." There was movement in the brambles and a messy Meadowpaw padded out.

"I have been watching for a while. I was hiding over there," Meadowpaw meowed looking the least bit sheepish. Littlepaw cuffed Meadowpaw's ear.

"C'mon I have cats to tend to!"

Meadowpaw dashed after Littlepaw. Littlepaw skid to a halt at the group of resting cats.

"These cats don't have a clan anymore. They know their clan has betrayed them and will never go back," Greypaw meowed to Littlepaw but stopped when he saw Meadowpaw.

"Is that your friend?" he asked. Littlepaw nodded the tip of her tail twitching with annoyance as she saw how he looked at her. His eyes were full of some sort of admiration, same with Meadowpaw's eyes.

"Could one of you help with healing these cats?" Littlepaw asked, she couldn't help hiding her annoyance in her voice. Meadowpaw and Greypaw shrugged and went to tend to the cats. Litlepaw sighed, Was she jealous?

Littlepaw lead the cats up the steep slopes of Rock-Ridge. It had been decided, these cats would be the foundation of their new Clan. Littlepaw and Greypaw wanted to call it RockClan but Meadowpaw liked StreamClan.

Finally Meadowpaw agreed. Littlepaw still couldn't believe she was actually leaving her clan to become part of one that she made up!

Littlepaw rushed over and helped Lakepelt travel up the steep rocky slope. It was a long jorney for an Elder.

"I still don't know why Stonestar would chose an Elder like me to go on a Battle Patrol!" She croaked her eyes dark. Littlepaw gave her a comforting lick.

"We are almost there," She meowed to Lakepelt. Lakepelt grunted and leaned against Silverstem's shoulder. Littlepaw thought Lakepelt would manage and raced back up to the front, where Greypaw and Meadowpaw were.

"Who will lead our new clan?" Greypaw asked as he saw Littlepaw near. Meadowpaw shrugged as if she didn't want to talk about it at the moment but Littlepaw knew it was very important.

"Well first of all, who wants to be leader?" Littlepaw mewed glancing at her friends expressions. Both showed no desire to become leader.

"Nope not me, I want to be medicine cat!" Greypaw meowed.

"Well, I-I really don't like standing in front of everyone, but if Littlepaw doesn't want to lead," Meadowpaw meowed looked down. Littlepaw flicked both of their ears.

"Not us, mouse-brains! We are only apprentices!" Littlepaw meowed, but deep insie of her she wanted to lead RockClan.

Greypaw flicked his tail.

"We barely know any of the cats. Addertail, was once a deputy but I don't trust him."

Meadowpaw nodded. "You don't even know, Greypaw, that we have rogues staying at our camp." Greypaw gave her a questioning look but didn't reply.

"I will lead," Littlepaw blurted out and she regreted it right after she said it. Both of her apprentice friends turned to her.

"You?" The both mewed.

Chapter eight: The dawn of RockClan

Littlepaw travelled up the rock path along the hollow. The apprentices had discussed who should be leader and even asked Bird and Raven. Littlepaw sighed. She was ready to tell the Clan who would be leader.

Below Littlepaw there were cats gathering, all had pledged loyalty to RockClan. Littlepaw couldn't help but letting her ears lie flat against her head. There were so many cats staring, it made her want to run away.

"After disscusing with all of RockClan we-" Littlepaw cast her glance to Greypaw and Meadowpaw who she had refered to as "we".

"-have decided that Greypaw will now be known as Greydawn, our new medicine cat. Meadowpaw will know be known as Meadowdash our new deputy." Yowls and cheers came from below. Littlepaw let out a sigh. She hoped they would be happy with the new leader.

"After much thought the Clan has chosen me, Littlestar to lead RockClan!" Littlestar shouted, many yowls came from below and she bathed in thier cheers for a while before speaking again.

"Bird and Raven have been working on the dens for the past moon and even while you were away! They deserve to be warriors, if you ask me." Shouts of agreement came from below and Littlestar saw Bird look embarrassed though Raven stood up straight with pride.

"I know name Bird, Birdwing and Raven, Ravenwhisker." Littlestar announced, her voice cracking from too much shouting and yowling.

Finally Littlestar leaped down from the ridge in the hollow and went straight to Greydawn's den.

"Hey do you know of any herb that cures sore throats?" Littlestar croaked. Greydawn looked up amused.

"It will take time for me to learn what all the herbs in the forest are. It wasn't like I was a medicine cat apprentice! For now I rely on Lakepelt, she seems to know a few important herbs," Greydawn explained, breathlessly.

"D-do you think I made the right choices?" Littlestar asked. It took a moment of thought until Greydawn replied.

"I think we shall see," Greydawn murmured and then did something unexpected. He pressed his flank against Littlestar's.

"For now RockClan is united and at its greatest!"